World War II was an critical point in America's history. Even more critical is the period of time immediately after the war where America emerged as a major player on the world stage. This unit will cover the reconstruction of Europe, the formation of Israel and the foreign affairs of the US. Students will develop master of both important concepts like war crimes, know key figures such as Stalin and Truman, and understand critical events like the creation of the United Nations. Students will become antiquated with several means of creating class projects. Some of the projects will include glogster, blogs, and imovies. The final project will be the creation of an imovie for the American History Museum which will incorporate all that they have learned throughout the unit.
Establish Goals
Content Area: Social Studies
Standard Label: E1 Historical knowledge, concepts, themes, and patterns
Grade Level Span: Grade 9-Diploma "World War 2 and Post War United States 1939-1961"
Students understand major eras, major enduring themes, and historic influences in United States and world history, including the roots of democratic philosophy, ideals, and institutions in the world.
Students will understand that
•America's involvement in WW2 led to increased investment in foreign affairs.
•changes in government powers led to the rise of certain historical figures.
•WW2 caused political, economic and social changes.
Essential Questions
•How the U.S. pushed for democracy in other nations?
•Why historical figures benefited or did not benefit from the events of WW2?
•How Israel, the UN and war crimes came out of WW2?
Students will know
•Important events: Israel creation, Nuclear proliferation, Cold War
•Important people: Truman, Eisenhower, Stalin, Khrushchev
•Policies: Communism, United Nations, State Sovereignty
Students will be able to
•demonstrate understanding of democracy post WW2
•evaluate the creation of the state of Israel
•decide how social changes occurred after WW2
•compare Truman and Stalin's leadership
•consider the US's relationship with the USSR
•recognize key figures in the Zionist movement Performance Task Overview The American History Museum is in desperate need of an exhibit detailing the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. How exactly did Germany get divided into two? Where exactly does Israel fit into all of this? As the world renowned historian, the museum has turned to you and your colleagues to create an exhibit. You have spent your entire lifetime gathering knowledge for this particular task. You will use the information you have learned about the influence of American democracy in Europe, the role of key figures such as Stalin and Eisenhower, and your understanding of the conflict between the US and the USSR. Though you are known worldwide and are quite brilliant, the museum director and curator are a skeptical pair and will need to review the exhibit before it is set up for public viewing. You must create an imovie that succinctly covers the events of the reconstruction in Europe. The exhibit could detail political, economic, or social changes. The museum is leaving the choice of topic up to your creative decisions but you are encouraged (maybe even required) to meet with a past history teacher and get his opinion on your topic. In addition, the movie should be interesting and accessible enough for museum viewers to be able to stand and watch.
Expectations
Absences: Attending each class is critical for understanding the larger picture of Post World War II. As such, each student is expected to notify the teacher as far in advance as possible of potential absences. In addition, the student should meet or email the teacher about what assignments were missed and how/when they can be made up. Students are strongly encouraged to talk to classmates about the missed class and get notes. The teacher will not provide notes if a class is missed but will help find students willing to share notes.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is unacceptable in the classroom. Any form of plagiarism used on assignments or projects will result in it not being graded and the school administration notified. However, students can meet with the teacher any time to answer copyright or citing questions.
Assignments: Assignments make up a significant portion of the student's grade. Each assignment is expected on the due date unless prior arrangements are made. Late assignments will be managed case by case but default response is a lowering of the grade every two days.
Classroom Expectations: Each student is expected to be prepared for each class and have all assignments completed. Students are expected to be respectful in class to each other and the teacher. If an issue regarding other students or classwork comes up, the teacher should be informed privately and in a timely manner.
Benchmarks: (450 points)
imovie: (75 points) Use an imovie to create a democracy advertisement to show understanding of democracy in Post WWII. The democracy advertisement will showcase both how American's think of their own system of government and the ideal style of government that every nation in the world should follow. The key to this project is to understand the biases that American had of its own government as well as the staunch opposition to communism.
Blog: (50 points) Use a blog to create a debate on the formation of Israel between skeptics and advocates. There is tension both in Israel's formation and its current standings now in the Middle East. Students should be able to recognize the upsides and downsides to the creation and how many different people view the problem.
Glogster: (50 points) Use glogster to create a social change poster detailing new social standards that developed from/after WWII. This project can be used one of two ways. Compare social change between Post World War II and before World War II or Post World War II and modern day American social conditions. The students should be able to recognize differences and how it impacts those living in the social atmosphere.
Xtranormal: (50 points) Use xtranormal to create a Stalin or Truman speech that would be given to the public. Styling a speech that Stalin or Truman would make brings a new perspective to the actions each man took.
Fakebook: (50 points) Use fakebook to create a conversation between the US and USSR over the issues dividing them.
Museum Box: (75 points) Use Museum box to follow a key figure's life story. Students should be thinking about who they want to follow prior to Museum Box being assigned. Once assigned during lesson four, students are expected to work continuously on it until the due date before lesson six.
imovie (Final project): (100 points) See Performance Task Overview.
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).
Office Location: 307
Office Hours: Tues & Thur 3:00-4:30 pm
E-mail: cvogel557@hotmail.com
Summary of Unit
World War II was an critical point in America's history. Even more critical is the period of time immediately after the war where America emerged as a major player on the world stage. This unit will cover the reconstruction of Europe, the formation of Israel and the foreign affairs of the US. Students will develop master of both important concepts like war crimes, know key figures such as Stalin and Truman, and understand critical events like the creation of the United Nations. Students will become antiquated with several means of creating class projects. Some of the projects will include glogster, blogs, and imovies. The final project will be the creation of an imovie for the American History Museum which will incorporate all that they have learned throughout the unit.Establish Goals
Content Area: Social StudiesStandard Label: E1 Historical knowledge, concepts, themes, and patterns
Grade Level Span: Grade 9-Diploma "World War 2 and Post War United States 1939-1961"
Students understand major eras, major enduring themes, and historic influences in United States and world history, including the roots of democratic philosophy, ideals, and institutions in the world.
Students will understand that
•America's involvement in WW2 led to increased investment in foreign affairs.•changes in government powers led to the rise of certain historical figures.
•WW2 caused political, economic and social changes.
Essential Questions
•How the U.S. pushed for democracy in other nations?•Why historical figures benefited or did not benefit from the events of WW2?
•How Israel, the UN and war crimes came out of WW2?
Students will know
•Important events: Israel creation, Nuclear proliferation, Cold War•Important people: Truman, Eisenhower, Stalin, Khrushchev
•Policies: Communism, United Nations, State Sovereignty
Students will be able to
•demonstrate understanding of democracy post WW2•evaluate the creation of the state of Israel
•decide how social changes occurred after WW2
•compare Truman and Stalin's leadership
•consider the US's relationship with the USSR
•recognize key figures in the Zionist movement
Performance Task Overview
The American History Museum is in desperate need of an exhibit detailing the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. How exactly did Germany get divided into two? Where exactly does Israel fit into all of this? As the world renowned historian, the museum has turned to you and your colleagues to create an exhibit. You have spent your entire lifetime gathering knowledge for this particular task. You will use the information you have learned about the influence of American democracy in Europe, the role of key figures such as Stalin and Eisenhower, and your understanding of the conflict between the US and the USSR. Though you are known worldwide and are quite brilliant, the museum director and curator are a skeptical pair and will need to review the exhibit before it is set up for public viewing. You must create an imovie that succinctly covers the events of the reconstruction in Europe. The exhibit could detail political, economic, or social changes. The museum is leaving the choice of topic up to your creative decisions but you are encouraged (maybe even required) to meet with a past history teacher and get his opinion on your topic. In addition, the movie should be interesting and accessible enough for museum viewers to be able to stand and watch.
Expectations
Absences: Attending each class is critical for understanding the larger picture of Post World War II. As such, each student is expected to notify the teacher as far in advance as possible of potential absences. In addition, the student should meet or email the teacher about what assignments were missed and how/when they can be made up. Students are strongly encouraged to talk to classmates about the missed class and get notes. The teacher will not provide notes if a class is missed but will help find students willing to share notes.Plagiarism: Plagiarism is unacceptable in the classroom. Any form of plagiarism used on assignments or projects will result in it not being graded and the school administration notified. However, students can meet with the teacher any time to answer copyright or citing questions.
Assignments: Assignments make up a significant portion of the student's grade. Each assignment is expected on the due date unless prior arrangements are made. Late assignments will be managed case by case but default response is a lowering of the grade every two days.
Classroom Expectations: Each student is expected to be prepared for each class and have all assignments completed. Students are expected to be respectful in class to each other and the teacher. If an issue regarding other students or classwork comes up, the teacher should be informed privately and in a timely manner.
Benchmarks: (450 points)
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).